So now what?
by chibiwriter
Summary: Oneshot. The Dino Rangers talk about their futures and what they hope to acheive.


**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

It was after the prom and Hayley had opened up the cybercafé so the former Dinothunder rangers could gather there for one last sojourn. Conner McKnight was sitting cross-legged on the counter, his jacket lying in a messy pile beside him. Ethan James was sitting on a chair near him, fiddling with his Game Boy. Kira Ford sat on the floor, her guitar in her lap. And Trent Fernandez-Mercer was behind the counter, discreetly sketching out the scene. "So…" Conner said at length. "What now?"

"What now what?" Kira asked instantly, raising her head to look at him.

He shrugged. "That's just it. I don't know."

"I get Conner." Ethan said. "I mean; we fought the big bad guys. We've even fought each other on occasion," at that, he looked wryly at Trent, who gave him an abashed grin.

"And, somehow, in the midst of all that, we even became quite good friends." Kira added.

"So what now?" Ethan continued. "We go on being who we were before?" He waved a hand at Conner. "Egoistical jock head galore;" he pointed at Kira, "moody, smart-mouthed guitarist;" he jerked a thumb at Trent; "waiter dude who's drawings make everyone go whoa;" he pointed at himself; "and hacker genius?"

"Wait a minute," Conner swung his legs down from the counter, dangerously close to Ethan's head. "Why're you the only one who doesn't get subtly insulted?"

"Because I'm the one who said it," Ethan shot back with a smug grin.

"We can't go back to who we were before," Kira broke in before a fight could ensue. "I mean, we've all changed. Conner's not so quick to jump his mouth. Ethan, you've grown a bit more responsible with your hacking stuff. And Trent, well, you're not so shy and you've proven that you can be trusted."

"And you're not so moody and dark," Conner added about Kira.

"I guess it's true what they say about your brothers and sister in arms," Trent said. "They do become your friends for life."

"It's probably because we've been through so much together. We _get_ each other," Kira added. "In ways no one else can."

"We should stay in touch," Conner decided.

"Yeah." Ethan nodded his agreement. "For once, Conner and I are in total agreement. We can't just drift off now it's all done with."

"Yeah," Trent made his accord known as his eyes slid to the petite musician sitting on the floor. They snapped up as the door to the cybercafé opened and Dr. Tommy Oliver and Hayley Viktor – the team's technician – strode in.

"Hey guys," Tommy greeted them. "What's going on?"

"We were just discussing what we're gonna do now Mesagog's gone and everything," Kira informed him.

He leaned on the counter. "My friend's and I discussed that after…well, after we decided to call it quits."

"What happened?" Ethan asked.

"We've kept in touch. All of us. Jason, Trini, Zack, Rocky, Adam, Tanya, Aisha, Kat…heck, even Billy calls in now and then from Aquitar." Tommy grinned at the thought of his bespectacled old friend – now a celebrated scientist in the watery planet. "So, yeah, we've all kept in touch. All Rangers tend to keep in touch with the Rangers they've met. That's why I found it so easy to gather everyone up for that trip to the moon to get rid of Serpentera." He added.

"Whoa. So you know the Space Rangers?" Conner asked.

"And most of the red rangers." He added.

"Tommy." With a roll of her eyes Hayley, corrected him; "you know _all_ the red rangers."

"I do?" He thought about it a while. "Oh right. I do." He gave his former students a self-deprecating grin. "Sorry."

"Wow. So, you, like, talk to them all the time?" Kira sounded awed.

"Not all the time." He shrugged. "We just exchange emails and phone calls and letters and things like that."

"We should do that," Ethan said, grinning. "Every month."

"And get together every year," Kira added, inspired.

"That sounds good," Trent nodded, his pencil busy as he added Tommy and Hayley into his sketch. "I could totally go for that."

"Me too," Conner added. "what about you Dr. O?"

"You're the ones who're leaving. I'm staying here, so you know where to find me," he replied.

"Speaking of leaving," Kira said. "Where's everyone headed after the holidays?"

"I got in MIT." Ethan replied. "I can hardly believe it! I'm so psyched!"

"I've got a sport scholarship. I might go into one of the local colleges, I'm not sure." Conner said thoughtfully.

"Dad's finally letting me go to art school." Trent smiled at the prospect. "I'm headed to New York in fall."

"I'm going to music school," Kira said. "In L.A."

"I've got to go," Hayley said. "I have a meeting in the morning with Anton. He wants to talk about some of my Ranger based inventions. Trent, can you lock up?"

"Sure Hayley," he nodded as she walked out.

"Man," Ethan looked around the darkened café. "I'm gonna miss this place."

"I never thought about saying this, but me too," Conner said. "Hayley makes the best sundaes in town."

"Typical." Kira said. "Always thinking of your stomach. Me, I'm always going to think of this place as my big break."

"Why?" Tommy looked at her.

"The scouts for the college I'm going to? They first heard me play here." She smiled.

"Me too. Except, for me, it was Carson Bailey." Trent added. "He helped me convince my dad to let me continue doing art. And he let me co-work on that comic with him. Maybe, one day, I'll have my own comic."

"And I might have my own company," Ethan added.

"And I'll have an album." Kira said.

"And I'll open a chain of soccer schools," Conner finished. He blinked when everyone turned to stare at him. "What!"

"Soccer schools?" Ethan asked with a smirk.

"Yeah so?" Uncomfortable, Conner shrugged.

"Nothing," Ethan said in an airy voice. "Absolutely nothing."

"While all of you are doing that, I hope I'll still be here, teaching." Tommy added. "After all the Ranger stuff I've done, I just want the quiet life."

"Good luck with that Dr O," Kira said with a grin.

"Hey, I _deserve_ it," he shot back with his own smile.

"Yeah," Trent said. "You do. We all do."

Quieted by that, they all turned to look out the window, watching as a lone motorcyclist rode past it. Sitting in a café that would become part of their past, the former Dino Rangers looked to their futures and were happy with that they saw there.


End file.
